Board game apparatus



Nov. 3, 1964 A. B. CHITTENDEN BOARD GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1962 R m N N 6 M R E o Z mm m z u u H a I LWQ v, K V E V M E mmw Mm AL L A 44b1 L 14 34 '3s p. A 1/ v 4 22 L/Gl/TBll/Efi BY/W M YEL LOW DAMRED L/GHT aw:

Nov. 3, 1964 A. B. CHITTENDEN 3,155,391

' BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR United States Patent 3,155,391 BOARD GAME APPARATUS Abram B. Chittenden, 507 N. Lincoln St, Clearwater, Fla. Filed July 12, 1%2, Ser. No. 209,438 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-431) This invention relates to a game board apparatus and is primarily intended to provide a game of skill to be played by four or less players competing in pairs or as individuals, each player seeking to reach a goal by a series I of moves which involve mental strategy, foresight and this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference numbers designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of an embodiment of the inven tion showing the playing board for the simplest form of thegame;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a section of the board showing more detail than FIG. 1, and also showing an alternate marking on the board;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partly in cross section of one of the playing pieces used in all forms of the game;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a playing piece which is used in a form of the game;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a method of altering the indicia of a playing square of the game board; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another method of altering the indicia of a playing square of the game board.

The present invention may be carried out with various types of playing pieces but, for the sake of illustration, this embodiment will be described and is shown as a game involving aircraft and carrier playing pieces and a missile game piece.

In accordance with the present embodiment of the invention, the game board comprises a series of 88 squares of 6 difierent colors. A plurality of spaced areas comprising six squares, each are disposed around the periphery of the game board and are defined as starting and goal zones for the respective players, the starting zones being disposed at locations remote from and opposite to the goal zones for a particular player. The playing area proper is situated within the square outlined by the starting and goal zones and comprises 64 equally divided playing squares. Two distinctively colored median lines at right angles to one another divide the board into four quadrants.

Each set of starting squares is marked with a different color, a set being assigned to each player before the start of the game. Four sets of six playing pieces each are provided with the game and each set bears a color corresponding to one of the goal square colors, and are "ice assigned to the player receiving the assignment of that color. The assignment of color also determines the order of play, as will be described below.

A plurality of playing squares, interspersed throughout the playing area of the board, are marked with a distinctive color other than the colors assigned to respective players. These colors indicate positions of invulnerability from attack for all players. Another plurality of squares are likewise situated in the playing area and are marked with the color of respective players in equal proportion. These squares, in addition, have directional indicia representing invulnerability of attack to a player who occupies that position if his goal from that position is in a direction which is compatible with the directional indicia marked thereon. The remaining squares of the board are marked with a neutral color, different from the color marking the squares mentioned above, and are pro vided with directional indicia to indicate directional vul nerability or invulnerabiiity, as in the player colored squares for playing pieces occupying those squares.

At the start of play, the playing pieces are placed in the starting zone opposite the goal zone having their color. The game is played by each player making a single move, in turn, starting with a player having a designated starting color, and then proceeding in turn in a clockwise direction. At the termination of the game the playing board is rotated clockwise 90 and the colors are appropriately traded to aiford each player in turn an opportunity of starting first. The players opposite one another cooperate as partners and attempt, together, to impede and delay the progress of the remaining players toward their respective goals and vice versa. A singlesquare move may be made in any direction except into a starting zone, which is not the goal of the player making the move. A player may make a jumping move in any direction over his own or another players piece and may make as many of these moves in succession as the disposition of the other pieces permit. Jumps may be made into and out of starting squares as long as the jump does not terminate in a starting square not the goal of the jumper. In jumping another players piece, no penalty is imposed against the jumped piece. It is intended that jumped pieces should remain in position on the board. Jumping moves should be made directly over the piece jumped and not out of row in the fashion of a knight piece in chess.

Vulnerability of the particular piece is determined by the indicia on the square on which the player terminates his move. indicia on intermediate squares of the move have no effect on the vulnerability of the moved piece.

A playing piece is vulnerable if its movement terminates on a square having directional indicia where the indicia is in opposition to the general direction to the goal of that playing piece from that square. If the playing piece is vulnerable, the opponent having control of the half of the board most proximate to him, as demarked by the median lines described above, may call intercept and remove the playing piece from that position back to one of the starting positions for that respective piece. The player calling intercept foregoes his turn in that series of moves. The game is concluded when one player succeeds in goaling five of his pieces in the goal squares. In scoring the game, the winning partners receive 200 points for winning, 109 points for each playing piece they have goaled, less 100 points for each playing piece their opponents have goaled.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the embodiment shown therein comprises a playing board 2 marked off in quadrants by median lines 4 and 6. The lines 8, 1t), 12 and 14 constitute alternate sides of the playing area. Lines 16, 18, and 22 mark the outer edges of the starting and goal squares. The squares situated between lines 8 and 16, 1G and 18, 12 and 2t), and 14 and 22, respectively, comprise starting and goal squares for the players of the game. These star-ting and goal squares are marked in a manner to distinguish between the goals of the different players and, in this embodiment, are marked by a different color background for each player. The colors may be, as an example, pink for the firstrecited starting squares, navy blue for the next-recited, red for the third-recited, and light blue for the last-recited. For the purpose of clarity, the above recited colors will be used in identifying the respective players in the following description of the board.

The squares of the board which constitute positions of absolute invulnerability for players located thereon, are identified in this embodiment with a green color background. A portion of the squares of the board which constitute directionally vulnerable positions for players situated thereon, are identified in this embodiment by a yellow-colored background. For purposes of identification, these squares will be referred to according to the above-mentioned colors in the following description of the board.

The playing area is divided into sixty-four rectangular units 24 located in contiguous rows 25-32 of eight units each. The units also define eight contiguous columns normal to the rows. Four-way directional indicia are provided on a portion of the squares and are indicated by two arrowheads 34 symmetrically distributed in, and pointed to, two corners of the square wherein situated. This indicates that a player piece terminating its move in a square so marked is vulnerable to intercept from an opposing player regardless of its respective direction, since its goal must be generally in opposition to one of the indicia as described below. Two-way directional indicia are provided in certain other squares and consist of arrowhead 36, which is situated in the corner of the square where located, nearest to, and pointing toward, the center of the board. This indicia indicates that a player piece terminating its move in that square is invulnerable if the direction of its goal from that square is within 90 of either side of the direction indicated by the arrowhead. Player pieces terminating their move in that square and traveling towards goals in other directions are vulnerable to intercept by an opposing player.

For simplicity and clarity, the color scheme and the location of the directional indicia will be described by reference to row number and, starting at line 12, successive recitation of color from left to right to line 8 to indicate the color of the succeeding squares. Where the color recited is followed by a statement of two-way or four-way, this will indicate that the square referred to has an additional directional indicia of the type referred to.

. 4-way, green, navy blue 2-way, navy blue 2-way. Row

30, green, yellow 2-way, yellow Z-Way, green, green, yellow 2-way, yellow 2-way, green. Row 31, navy blue 2-way, yellow '2-way, yellow 2-way, pink 2-way, red 2- way, yellow 2-way, yellow 2-Way, navy blue 2-way.

Row 32, green, pink 2-way, green, pink 2-way, red 2-way, green, red 2-way, green. In FIG. 2, an alternate design is shown with yellow outpost circles 38, bearing the letter -O located in the center of each quadrant of the playing area. A yellow headquarters circle 46 hearing the letter H is situated in the center of the board at the intersections of divisional line 6 and divisional line 4. These latter-described circles have significance only for one version of the game and will be discussed below in the description of that specific version.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a playing piece 42 is shown in a perspective view. The outer peripheral surface of the playing piece 44 and the upper face of the rim 46 are marked with a distinctive player color. In this embodiment, a symbol 48, consisting of a raised figure such, for example, as that of an aircraft silhouette in black, is situated in the center of the top face of the playing piece. The background 50 may be of some distinguishing color, preferably white.

The lower surface of the playing piece 43 may also have a recessed portion which is marked with the distinctive color 45 of a different player. This surface is used for a different version of the game, to be described below. In this embodiment the red players have navy blue lower recesses; the navy blue, pink recesses; the pink, light blue recesses; and the light blue, red recesses. These recesses may also contain a distinguishing mark such as the letter C or a naval symbol such, for example, as an anchor.

As mentioned before, the game may be played in configurations of varying ditficulty. This variation is achieved by providing either a reversible 'board or a plurality of boards having a decreasingly fewer number of universally invulnerable squares. This objective may be more practically achieved, however, by providing a single board with optional or changeable squares which may be removed, replaced or inverted to change the particular color thereon, according to the level of difficulty desired.

- The embodiment described herein shows for illustrative purposes this latter method of variation and depicts two alternate methods of achieving this end. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of game board 2, showing one method of changing the color of an optional square. Insert 52 is shown removed from depressed square 54. The upper side 55 is colored in one of the distinctive colors of the game board and the lower side 58 is of a different color as necessary. The color of the particular square then could be varied by removing insert 52 and reversing and replacing the same. An alternative directional indicia 56 is shown on the top surface of the insert. An alternative method, using this structure, would utilize the face of the depressed portion 54; this face could be colored with a different color than insert 52 and color change could be achieved merely by removal or replacement of the insert.

FIG. 6 shows another alternate method of changing the indicia of one of the optional squares. The board is provided with a depressed square 60, which has lateral slots 62 along two opposing sides. Movable square 64 has an elongated pin 68 attached along one side thereof. The pin extends beyond the two adjacent sides of the square into slots 62. The respective sides of movable square 64 are of different colors as is necessary to alternate the color of that square. In operation, the square is swung upwardly about the hinged points formed by pin 68 and slots 62 and the pin side of the square is moved from one side of the depressed square 60 through slots 62 to the other extreme side. Square 64 is then swung downwardly and placed in the depressed square. This method would allow changing of the necessary squares without leaving depressions or raised areas on the surface of the board and also provide changeable squares which remain integral with the board. Alternate directional indicia 72 is shown on one corner of square 64. Opening 70 may be provided in any of these versions at the center of the depressed square through the bottom of the board to facilitate the initial raising of the square for the changing operation. Of course, other methods such as squares adhesively or magnetically mounted on the board could also be used.

As stated before, there are several different variations which may be made in the board to increase the level of difficulty of the game. For purposes of identification, four of these variations will be designated: B Alert Mach 1,.B Alert Mach 2, B Alert Mach 3, and Nike Intercept. All of the basic rules hereinbefore described apply to each of these versions of the game.

B Alert Mach 1 is intended as a beginners game and has the lowest level ofdifficulty of all the versions. This version of the game follows the rules hereinbefore stated and utilizes the board patterns shown in the drawing and described above.

B Alert Mach 2 achieves a higher level of difficulty by eliminating four of the invulnerable or green playing squares and by replacing them with player colored squares with an appropriate two-way directional indicia. This replacement may be achieved by one of the alternate methods of square variation described above. The changes are as follows: square 74 is changed from green to player color pink, square 76 changed from green to light blue, square 78 from green to red and square 80 from green to navy blue. The game is then played following the aforesaid rules and utilizing reduced number of invulnerable zones as described.

The next level of ditficulty is achieved in B Alert Mach 3 by changing four more of the invulnerable squares from green to a player color having the proper two-way directional indicia, as follows: Square 82 from green to pink, square 84 from green to light blue, square 86 from green to red and square 88 from green to navy blue. Squares 74 through 80 remain player color as described for Mach 2. The game is then played as in Mach 1 and Mach 2, with the original number of invulnerable squares reduced by a total of 8.

The most difiicult level of Intercept discussed herein is that of Nike Intercept and is achieved by the use of a single additional playing piece called, in this embodiment, a Nike, and the version of the game board shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, the playing piece 90 consists of a cylindrical body of greater height than playing pieces 42, with an outer surface 92 bearing a distinctive color other than the colors hereinbefore used such, for example, as black. A vertical stripe 94 of a distinctive color such as, for example, yellow, is disposed on one side of the of a missile in black is situated in the center of the top face of the playing piece. The background 98 may be of some distinguishing color, preferably white. The playing board for this version of the game is of the iden tical pattern with respect to the changeable squares as used in B Alert Mach 3. At the start of the game, the Nike playing piece 90 is placed in the circle H (FIG. 2), on the playing board. The game is then played as in the above versions with the exception of the use of the Nike piece which operates as follows:

The Nike piece serves to protect certain squares according to its location, except when located in circle strips 94 determines the player who may move the Nike.

' piece. A symbol 96 such, for example, as the silhouette At the start of the game as before stated, the Nike is positioned at circle H. The piece is disposed so that stripe 94 is facing the player having navy blue colored pieces. This indicates that the player having navy blue has the first opportunity for moving the Nike from the circle H position. After each player moves the Nike piece, he rotates the piece so that the stripe 94 is facing the player to his right. The turn for moving the Nike is, in this way, rotated around the board. The Nike may be only moved when three plays have elapsed since its last move and at the option of the player whose turn it is to move the piece. The move is made in conjunction with that players normal player piece move. The Nike move may not be made, however, at the same time that player imposes an interception on his opponent.

When the Nike is in position at circle H or circles 0, player moves are made over the Nike piece as if it were not on the board. If the Nike piece, however, is located on a player colored square, any player, at the time within his turn, may jump the Nike if he is properly situated to do so. The player then is entitled to place the Nike back on circle H in that move. Upon doing this, the player must rotate the Nike piece so that stripe 94 faces the player immediately to his right.

The game may also be played by less than four players as follows:

Two players may play the various versions of the game by occupying starting squares opposite one another and opposite the goals having their respective color, as in the four player version of the game. In this embodiment, four of each of the inactive playing pieces are inverted to expose the underside color described above and are added to the starting array of active playing pieces having the same respective color. These inverted pieces are then called carrier pieces and are disposed symmetrically on the four permanent, directionally vulnerable squares of the second row of'squares directly in front of the starting squares of Aircraft playing pieces having their respective carrier color. In playing, the player may move either a carrier piece or a regular playing piece in one move. The carrier pieces are moved according to the rules described above for play ing pieces with the following exceptions. Carrier pieces may not conclude a move on starting goal squares of any color and therefore they may not be goaled and cannot be used to count towards a players score. The carrier pieces may not conclude a move on a green square on the side of the board from which they started as demarked by the median line perpendicular to their normal line of travel. If a carrier piece so terminates its move on a green square, the opponent may remove it from the board permanently. Other than the above-mentioned penalty, the carrier pieces are not subject to penalty or intercept regardless of the indicia of the square on which they are located. Before the game is terminated, the proper number of playing pieces must be goaled, as in the four player version and, in addition, all of that players carrier pieces must be on the goal side of the median line perpendicular to that players normal line of travel.

Other than the above-mentioned exceptions, the twoplayer version of the game is then played following the rules outlined for the four-player version. An alternative to utilizing the bottom sides of the inactive playing pieces for carrier indicia, would be to provide separate suitably marked carrier pieces to accomplish the twoplayer version of the game.

The game may be played by three players in the following manner:

Two of the players would play as partners following the rules for four-player intercept. The single player would then play both sets of the remaining player pieces in a similar fashion to that of a declarer in the game of contract bridge, who plays his own hand and at the same time the dummy hand of his partner. Since the single player has an advantage in being better able to coordinate in that he controls two sets of playing pieces, the board may be set up to provide a handicap for that player by varying the alterable squares so that the single player is playing at a higher level of difliculty than the partners (i.e., the Mach 2 version for the single player a opposed to the Mach 1 version for the partners). As an example, if the partners possessed the navy blue and light blue playing pieces, the single player would play the red and pink pieces in opposition. Referring to FIG. 1, squares 24 and '76 could then be converted from green to 2 .way player colored, thereby increasing the difiiculty of the single players game to that of the Mach 2 version while the difiiculty of the partners game would be that of a modified version of a Mach 1 play. Of course, other such variations in the board pattern could be made as desired to balance the respective advantages and handicaps of the players. It is not contemplated that Nike Intercept would be used in the 3-player version of the game.

While it is contemplated that, within the scope of the invention other color combinations than those noted above used could be substituted, a particular advantage can be realized by the use of dilierent shades of the same basic color in that a minimum of engraved color printing plates may be used by the use of fine-line red on white to achieve pink, a line-line blue on white to achieve light blue and fine-line blue on yellow to achieve green.

' Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A game comprising in combination: a game board having a plurality of squares thereon; four sets of playing pieces movable on said board, each of said sets having a first, second, third and fourth distinctive marking respectively; a first portion of said squares having a fifth distinctive marking to indicate the positions of invulnerability for all playing pieces located thereon; a second portion of said squares having a sixth distinctive marking thereon to indicate invulnerability for playing pieces located thereon according to the directional character of the movement of the respective pieces; a series of goal squares disposed along each side of said board, each of said series having one of said first, second, third and fourth distinctive markings respectively, said goal squares serving as goals for said playing pieces identifiable with said markings respectively, the series of goal squares opposite any of said goal squares for particular playing pieces serving as starting squares for said pieces; a portion of said first portion squares being changeable to assume the character of said second portion squares to provide different levels of difiiculty of said game; a portion of said second portion squares having a seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth distinctive marking divided in equal portions thereamong,.each of said markings being identifiable with a set of said playing pieces.

2. A game in accordance with claim 1, wherein said seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth distinctive markings are identical with said first, second, third and fourth distinctive markings respectively and wherein said first through fifth distinctive markings comprise different colors.

3. A game comprising in combination: a game board having a plurality of squares thereon; four sets of playing pieces movable on said board, each of said sets having a first, second, third and fourth distinctive marking respectively; a first portion of said squares having a fifth distinctive marking .to indicate the positions of invulnerability for all playing pieces located thereon; a second portion of said squares having a sixth distinctive marking thereon to indicate invulnerability for playing pieces located thereon according to the directional character of the movement of the respective pieces; a series of goal squares disposed along each side of said board, each of said series having one of said first, second, third and fourth distinctive markings respectively, said goal squares serving as goals for said playing pieces identifiable with said markings respectively, the series of goal squares opposite any of said goal squares for particular playing pieces, serving as starting squares for said pieces; a portion of said first portion squares being changeable to assume the character of said second portion squares to provide dilferent levels of difliculty or" said game; a portion of said second portion squares having a seventh, eighth, nine and tenth distinctive markings divided in equal portions thereamong, each of said markings being identifiable with a set of said playing pieces; a game piece optionally usable in said game and movable on said board, the vulnerability of playing pieces located on said squares having said seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth distinctive markings also being altered if said game piece is located on a square having a similar marking, said game piece being movable in turn by the players of said game and being vulnerable to removal when located on squares having said seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth distinctive markings.

4. A game in accordance with claim 3, wherein said seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth distinctive markings are identical with said first, second, third and fourth distinctive markings respectively and wherein said first through fifth distinctive markings comprise different colors.

5. A game comprising in combination: a game board having a square playing area divided into four quadrants thereon, said quadrants being divided into sixteen (16) equal squares, a portion of said squares having a first indicia thereon to indicate conditionally vulnerable positions, the remaining portion of said squares having a second indicia thereon to indicate invulnerable positions, said squares being disposed to provide a pattern on each of said quadrants, said pattern on any of said quadrants being in mirror symmetry with the patterns on quadrants adjacent thereto, the four centermost squares .of a quadrant having said first indicia thereon, the .border squares of said quadrant, which form a portion of the edge of said playing area, having said first and second indicia disposed on alternate squares thereof with a square having said second indicia disposed at the corner of said quadrant which is a corner of said playing area, a square having said first indicia disposed at the corner of said 7 quadrant which is adjacent to the center of said playing area with squares having said second indicia disposed adjacent thereto, a set of six goal squares symmetrically disposed along each side of said playing area, each of said sets having a distinguishing marking thereon and serving as goal squares for a player assigned that marking, the set of squares opposite said goal squares serving as starting points for said player, said first indicia consisting of pointers indicating vulnerable positions according to a directional character of a playing piece occupying said square, the four centermost squares of said playing area having two of said first indicia pointing in opposition to one another, the remaining first indicia bearing squares having single first indicia pointing to the corner of the square wherein located which is nearest to the center of said playing area; four sets of six playing pieces movable on said board; and means to change a portion of said squares having said second indicia to squares having said first indicia.

6. A game in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said sets of playing pieces have a distinguishing marking on the peripheral surfaces thereof corresponding to a marking on a set of goal squares respectively, each of said sets of playing pieces also having a distinguishing marking on the bottornsurfaces thereof corresponding to the markings of one of the sets of goal squares adjacent to the set of goal squares having the marking identical to said marking on the peripheral surfaces of said set of playing pieces.

7. A game in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means to change a portion of said squares having said second indicia comprise reversible inserts in said portion of the squares, said inserts having said second indicia and said first indicia on their opposite sides, whereby reversal of said insert changes the indicia on said square.

8. A game in accordance with claim 6, wherein the single first indicia bearing border squares of said quadrant have a third indicia corresponding to the distinguishing markings of said goal squares thereon, each of said quadrants having the distinguishing markings of two sets of said goal squares in diiferent combination to provide squares bearing the distinctive indicia of each set of said goal squares distributed in equal proportion throughout said playing area, a game piece movable on said board, said game piece when located on a square bearing said distinguishing marking, converting the squares bearing the same distinguishing marking to invulnerable positions, said game pi ce also positionable at the center of each quadrant, said game piece when so positioned converting the our centermost squares of the quadrant wherein located to invulnerable positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,688 Maris Dec. 28, 1915 

1. A GAME COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A GAME BOARD HAVNG A PLURALITY OF SQUARES THEREON; FOUR SETS OF PLAYING PIECES MOVABLE ON SAID BOARD, EACH OF SAID SETS HAVING A FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH DISTINCTIVE MARKING RESPECTIVELY; A FIRST PORTION OF SAID SQUARES HAVING A FIFTH DISTINCTIVE MARKING TO INDICATE THE POSITIONS OF INVULNERABILITY FOR ALL PLAYING PIECES LOCATED THEREON; A SECOND PORTION OF SAID SQUARES HAVING A SIXTH DISTINCTIVE MARKING THEREON TO INDICATE INVULNERABILITY FOR PLAYING PIECES LOCATED THEREON ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONAL CHARACTER OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE PIECES; A SERIES OF GOAL SQUARES DISPOSED ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID BOARD, EACH OF SAID SERIES HAVING ONE OF SAID FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS RESPECTIVELY, SAID GOAL SQUARES SERVING AS GOALS FOR SAID PLAYING PIECES IDENTIFIABLE WITH SAID MARKINGS RESPECTIVELY, THE SERIES OF GOAL SQUARES 